The First Sacred Treasure of Hell
The First Sacred Treasure of Hell is a Phantom Book used by Mabel Nash to control wooden dolls. It's present in the ''Libricide'' story. The book shows letters of an unfamiliar language engraved in its old and staled leather cover.The Mystic Archives of Dantalian light novel, Chapter 5, volume 1. In the anime, however, it’s a green-and-beige scroll, labeled with ancient Chinese characters and closed with a blue string and a seal depicting the yin-yang symbol.The Mystic Archives of Dantalian anime, Episode 6. __TOC__ Background According to Flamberge, The First Sacred Treasure of Hell is a long lost scripture related to Taoism, a religious or philosophical tradition of Chinese origin which emphasizes living in harmony with the “way”.Taoism. (2017, April 21). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:46, April 22, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Taoism&oldid=776473620 The Phantom Book was given to Mabel Nash by Rasiel and the Professor, when the policewoman was desperate, watching her home town being destroyed by German bombers. On that occasion, Mabel learned that the book was written for her sake, and that the item could be used to rebuild something which was broken. Hal and Flamberge was looking for Rasiel, knowing she was carrying strange books with her. The Book Burning Officer was aiming for The First Sacred Treasure of Hell. Powers The Phantom Book describes a ceremony which, when conducted, brings forth puppets who obey the user. They require orders, being unable to act on their own. The wooden dolls can be dressed to live as humans, whether working, shopping, talking, laughing, drinking and even playing, in the case of the small puppets serving as stand-ins of children. When their identities are revealed they cease to look like humans and assume the appearance of a puppet, with vacant eyes, an inhumanly bare face and polished wooden balls working as joints. Marbel's dolls (7).png|Mabel's puppets. Marbel's dolls (4).png|The puppets increase their numbers. Marbel's dolls (5).png|Mabel controls the wooden dolls. Prostitute doll.png|One of Mabel's puppets, acting as a prostitute Marbel's dolls (2).png|The prostitute doll, after becoming hostile. For instance, Mabel Nash used The First Sacred Treasure of Hell to replace the inhabitants of her home town who died during the Great War. However, the puppets are not convincing, acting artificially and emotionless, with mechanical expressions and voices, sometimes resembling the sound of rusty gears. Furthermore, they fall into rage and become hostile when placed in an unfamiliar situation such as interacting with a stranger or responding unexpected questions. The dolls show monstrous speed and strength to destroy the source of their panic. Even when they lose a limb, not a single drop of blood is seen, only a wooden cross-section. As shown in the series, defeating a puppet requires the destruction of his head or the wielding of the staff of Surtr to burn him or the Phantom Book itself. They can be ordered to produce more dolls, multiplying their numbers. Plot From an elevation, Mabel watches her home town being destroyed by an air raid, when a strange duo appears. The Professor affirms she could rebuild that which was broken. He receives a book from the little girl and hands it to Mabel. Rasiel explains the item is a Phantom Book written for her sake. Hal soon notices something odd about the town. Flamberge also points out how gloomy the place feels, even while witnessing the inhabitants filling the shopping district. It was like watching the actors of a bad play. Mabel defends the townsfolk and denies any rumors about people going missing around the town. Hal and Flamberge also meet Mabel’s grandparents. However, only Patricia, the policewoman’s little sister, seems to have emotions. After midnight, the Book Burning Officer leaves the house to investigate the whereabouts. He finds some ruins, a destroyed part of the town which someone was putting effort into hiding it. There, a prostitute tries to attract him. She becomes agitated, without knowing how to act when Hal questions her. The woman was first angry, with an unnatural expression, then showing an inhumanly bare face. She attacks the man with unbelievable speed, aiming for the artery at his neck. Fresh blood drops from his cheek. The enemy is also incredible strong, able to lift Hal up. He manages to restrain her, twisting her elbow, but she keeps resisting, ignoring the creaking of her arm. The elbow is torn apart, revealing a wooden cross-section without a single drop of blood. The fight finally stops when Hal shatters her head into splinters, leaving only a lifeless clad puppet in the ground. Marbel's dolls (3).png|The prostitute doll attacks Hal. Marbel's dolls (1).png|Hal destroys the prostitute doll. The next day, Hal and Flamberge visit the factory on the outskirts of the town. The building is very quiet, with few workers who never rebuked their presence. Producing ammunition, bombs and gun parts in the past, now the place served to manufacture dolls. Inside a storehouse, Hal shows Flamberge a mountain of boxes containing puppets of different sizes, the stand-ins of the inhabitants of the town. The prostitute Hal destroyed last night is carried in. Since the bombings during the Great War, the deceased were being replaced, including the broken puppets. Mabel appears, exposed as the puppeteer. She had received The First Sacred Treasure of Hell from the Biblioprincess and used its powers to live an illusion, keeping the town unchanged. The policewoman admits her wrongs, her difficulty to accept the past, but affirms it’s too late to change. She wants to protect her town, and for that reason she orders the puppets to attack Hal and Flamberge. More than 10 shadows fill the narrow pathway. The man decides to oppose the creatures by opening the Long Lost Library. He uses the magic of a Phantom Book to charge the staff of Surtr. The puppets crumbled down when consumed by the flames released from the weapon. The fire also envelops Mabel and her Phantom Book. Marbel's dolls (6).png|The puppets attack Hal and Flamberge. Hal's attack.png|''The First Sacred Treasure of Hell'' is destroyed. Later, Hal carries an unconscious Mabel back to her house. As a Book Burning Officer, he has destroyed The First Sacred Treasure of Hell and everything related to it, including the corrupted part of the policewoman’s mind. Mabel wouldn’t remember anything after receiving the Phantom Book. The puppets around town were not moving anymore, including Mabel’s grandparents. Trivia * Hal compares the wooden dolls with shikigami, conjured beings created and controlled by oriental sorcerers by casting a spell on paper or straw. The term is part of the Japanese folklore.Shikigami. (2017, April 22). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:02, April 23, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shikigami&oldid=776594633 Similar to the puppets seen in the series, shikigami can be initiated by writing a special incantation on a plank of wood. They can assume human form, but revert back to the source material when their master is defeated.Takeshi Abe, Adam Beltz. The Negima Reader: Secrets Behind the Magic. Chapter 21, DH Publishing, 2008. * The taijitu or the yin-yang symbol is part of Chinese philosophy and Taoism, representing how seemingly contrary forces can be complementary.Yin and yang. (2017, April 21). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:24, April 23, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yin_and_yang&oldid=776547958 References Category:Phantom Books